(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle and a control method for the hybrid vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a hybrid vehicle and a control method for the same, for controlling kick-down shift and engine clutch engagement based on discharging power of a battery when the kick-down shift and the engine clutch engagement are required.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Recently, electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles have been developed for enhancement of fuel consumption of vehicles. An electric vehicle refers to a vehicle in which driving torque is generated by a motor and a hybrid vehicle refers to a vehicle in which driving torque is generated by an engine and a motor. A hybrid vehicle is driven in various modes (e.g., an electric mode, a hybrid mode, an engine mode, etc.) according to a driving condition thereof. The electric mode is a mode for generating driving torque by a motor, the hybrid mode is a mode for generating driving torque by a motor and an engine, and the engine mode is a mode for generating driving torque by an engine.
A transmission mounted electric device hybrid electric vehicle (TMED HEV) formed by attaching a motor to a transmission and inserting a wet clutch (engine clutch) between the transmission and an engine may implement an electric vehicle (EV) mode and a hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) mode via engagement and release of the engine clutch. In the TMED system, a mode is converted to an HEV mode from an EV mode to feel acceleration based on user intention, and in this case, engine power is used as driving torque of a vehicle in the HEV mode. Appropriate connection control of an engine clutch is an important factor to achieve oscillation and acceleration of TMED HEV. Accordingly, when the control is insufficient, a driver may feel a delay in acceleration response and driving directivity may be reduced.
The above information disclosed in this section is merely for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.